Base-ball apparatus.



H. G. BOARDMAN.

BASE BALL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. Iol I9I5.

H. G. BOARDIVIAN.

` BASE BALL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Ps.1o.1915.

Patented Nov. 1.4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.. nl: Y

H. G. BOARDMAN.

BASE BALL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I0. I9I5.

1,204,645. f A I IAQIIIIINOV. 14,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE. i

HARRY G. BOARDMAN,` 01E' LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AASSIBNOII?. '.l'O AUTOIATIO BASEBALL CO. OF ILLINOIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OI ILLINOIS.

BASE-BALL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letteralatent.

i Application led February 10, 1915. Serial No. 7,488.

To all 'whom z't may concern Be it known that I, HARRY G. BOARDMAN, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Base-Ball Apparatus, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to base ball apparatus, being an improvement on the invention of Alexander McMillan, as disclosed in his Letters Patent, No. 1086067, patented February 3rd, 1914, for baseball apparatus.

The first object of the invention is to providemeans in a baseball apparatus whereby a number of balls may be used, the balls being returned to a storage space after being pitched, and one or more of the balls beingready at all times to be pitched to the batter. This is an improvement over the patent to McMillan, in which the batter strikes a single ball which must travel around and over certain parts before being pitched to the batter a second time. Apparatus of this nature has come into general use as an amusement enterprise, and its earning capacity is directly proportional to the number of balls that can be pitched in a given time, so that it is important that the balls should be pitched as fast asthe batter can prepare for them.

The second object of the invention is to provide means whereby a ball can be pitched whenever the batter ca lls for it. In the McMillan device the instant that the ball is pitched is entirely independent of the batter, the ball being pitched whenever it has completed the circuit and reached the pitching device. In my invention the balls are returned to a storage space and are released by an operator, being pitched whenever the operator desires. c

The third object of the invention is to provide means whereby the operation of a single pitcher may be controlled through a single lever, the pitcher being released `and reset throu h a single cord or rod. In the McMillan evice a cord M3 is used to reset the apparatus, and if it were desired to control the discharge of the apparatus, a second cord with connected mechanism would have to be added. In my invention the ball yis pitched through the mediu'm of a single cord or rod, the pitcher being automatically reset whenever the tension on the cord or rod is released. i

The fourth object of my invention is to provlde means whereby a plurality of pitchers may be used, and particularly to provide means whereby two pitchers mayr be used so that two batters may bat at one time, thereby greatly increasing the competitive element of` the apparatus and materially increasing its earning power.

The fifth object of the invention is to provide means wherebyall the balls batted will be returned to the pitcher. In the McMillan device onl those balls which are vigorously struc will make the complete circuit and return to the pitcher, the remaining balls rolling along the floor and being gathered up by hand from time to time by the operator. In my invention all balls, after being struck, are returned to the pitcher.

The sixth object of my inventionis to provide means for arresting the motion of heavily batted balls so that the balls -are not injured, and so that it is not necessary to proc vide complicated structure for this purpose.

mechanism by ballsthat are fed into it before the parts are ready for the balls.

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

In the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only, Figure l is a plan view` of two pitchers, together with some of the related parts, a portion of these parts being shown broken away for the purpose of better illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the plane 2-m2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial section on the ,plane m3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan of a pitcher and some of the related parts. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a pitcher and the upper end of the feeding device, certain of the parts being shown in section to better illus trate the invention. Fig. 6 is an elevation, some of the parts being shown in section, of a complete apparatus for playin the game. Fig. 7 is a perspective view o certain of the parts, scme of which are shown in section, to better illustrate the invention. Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan of the lower sprocket shaft and ratchet mechanisms with the chain omitted. Fig. 9 is a artial section on the plane :aL- of Fig. 8, ooking in the direction of the arrows.

The invention, broadly considered, consists of a platform 11, the batter or batters standing 1n a position 12, the operator standing on an operating platform 1 3,

itchers being located at 14, and a field 15 eing placed behind the pitchers as shown in Fig. 1. The operator controls the operation of the pitchers through operating levers 16. The field 15 has dividing lines marked thereon, these dividing lines separating the field into a first base space 17, a second base space 18, and a third base space 19, and a home run space 20. A. trough 21 is placed at the extreme upper end of the field 15, as shown in Fig. 7, and balls to be counted as scoring must be caught by the trough. Secured over the top of the field 15 is a netting 22 which is secured to a canvas or fabric covering 23 which is secured to a framework 24 which may be adjustably guyed by guy wires 25. The field.15 is also secured b means of guy wires 26 to the framewor 24. A flexlble apron 27, which may be made of canvas or leather, is secured to the canvas member 23 and hangs downwardly into a trough 21 across an opening 28 formed between the edge 29 of the trough and the canvas member 23. The trough 21 is inclined so that any balls batted therein will roll downward, and a tube 30 connects to the lowest part ofthe trough 21, all balls batted into the trough 21 being discharged therefrom through the tube 30. These balls pass downwardly into a trough, shown in Fig. 3, formed of side members 32 and 33 and a central member 34, a considerable number of balls being used so that there is always a reserve stock in the trough for the purpose of accomplishing the first object.

In the drawings two pitchers 35 and 36 are shown, each having its own operating lever, these pitchers being fed through two elevators 37, the elevators taking balls from the trough 34 and delivering them 'to the pitchers. Each of the elevators consists of an upper sprocket 38 and a lower sprocket 39, the upper sprocket 38 being mounted on a shaft in adjustable bearings 40 and being movable up and down so that a chain 41 which passes over the upper sprocket 38 and the lower sprocket 39 is always taut. Mounted on the chain 41 are a plurality of fingers 42, these lingers being so placed that they will pass through openings 43 and 44 in the trough 34 and will pick up the balls 45 resting therein, these balls being carried upwardly as shown by the arrow adjacent to the chain 41 shown in Fig. 2. A deflector 46 is placed on the screen 15 behind the pitchers 35 and 36, and a shield 47 is placed in front of the pitchers for the purpose of accomplishing the seventh object. Secured to a floor 50 is a casting 51 consisting of side. plates 52 which extend upwardly and support the upper bearings 40 and which extend downwardly and support the lower sprocket shaft 54. The sprocket 39 turns freely on the shaft 54, and a driving ratchet 55 and a holding ratchet 56 are formed integral with the sprocket 39. A weighted pawl 57 is pivoted on a pin carried by one of the side plates 52 and engages the holding ratchet 56 so that tbc chain 41 cannot move in an opposite direction to the arrow shown in Fig. 2. An arm 58 is loosely pivoted on the shaft 54, as shown in Fig. 2, and carries at its outer end a spring actuated pivoted pawl 59 which engages the teeth in the driving ratchet 55 in such a manner as to advance the chain 41 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2. The arm 58 is actuated through a bar 60, bent as shown in Fig. 8, which is pivoted on a pin 61 to a lever 62 which is pivoted on a pin 63 on a bracket 64 formed on the side plates 52. Secured near the lower end of the lever 62 is an operating rod 65 which extends forward and is pivoted on a pin 66 located on the operating lever 16 which is pivoted on a pin 67 carried on a bearing 68 suitably secured to the framework of the apparatus. A set screw 69 is placed in the lower end of the lever 62 in such a manner that it strikes against one of the side plates 52 and limits the motion of the lever 62. Pivoted on a pin 70 in the upper end of the lever 62 is an end connection 71 to which is secured a heavy operating tension spring 72, which is also secured by means of an end 73 to a pivot pin 74 carried on a throwing arm 75. The arm 75 is pivoted on a pin 76 carried in bearings 77 secured by bolts 78 to the side plates 52 as shown in Fig. 2. Secured in a projection 79 on the underside of the throwing arm 75 is one end of a buffer spring 80, the other end of the spring being loosely secured through a chain 81 to a casting 82 which is secured on the top of the bearings 77. A hook 83 is secured in the upper end of the throwing arm 75 and a roller 84 mounted on a pin 85 in a latch 86 extends over and engages the hook 83 when the pitcher is set to throw. The latch 86 is pivoted on a pin 87 in the casting 82, the roller 84 being held inr engagement with the hook 83 by means of a compression spring 88 which engages a pin 89 in the casting 82 and n pin 90 on apmjeotng arm 91 of the latch 86. An opening 92 ils-cut in the upperend of the casting 86,'and a'release trigger 93 extends upwardly therethrough and normally rests against a roller 94 carried on a pin 95 in the latch 86. The trigger 93 is pivoted on a pin' 96 secured in the casting 82 and has a projecting arm 97 which extendsdown and engages the projection 91 of the latch 86. A throwing finger 100 is secured to the throwing arm 75 by means of set^A screws 101' and extends upwardly out-v side the casting 82, this finger being preferably formed of wire bent as shown. The throwing linger 100 extends `between the side plates 52 andrests against an apron 103 formed between the side plates 52, this apron having a tongue 104 which extends upwardly to a point close to the sprocket 38,

have assumed the various positions shown in the drawing, the fingers 42 of the ascending side of the chain 41 carrying the balls as shown in Fig. 2. Whenever it is desired to pitch a ball to a batter, the operator pulls the proper lever 16 forward from the position A to the position B of Fig. 2, thereby pulling the lever 62 from the position C to the position D shown in dotted lines. This puts a tension on the spring 72, this tension being resisted by the roller 84 which holds the hook 83 the position shown in Fig. 5. The m ement of the lever 62 from the position to the position B rotates the arm 58 th ugh the bar 60, and actuates the shaft 54 in clockwise direction through the pawl 59 and the ratchet 55. The ball shown at 110 islifted over the top of the sprocket 38, the fingers 111 carrying the ball to the position 11013 of Fig. 2. The ball then moves forward by gravity rolling downward over the tongue 104 onto the throwing finger` 100 and striking against the trigger 93, moving it in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5. The projection 97 of the trigger 93 strikes on the projection 91' of the latch 86, moving the latch in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5, and releasing the hook 83 from the restraint of the roller 94. The arm is then moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5 under the action of the spring 72, this arm moving from the position EV of Fig. 2 to the position F shown in dotted lines in that'figure. This rapid movement of the arm 85 under the' action of the spring 72 throws the ball forward inthe direction of the batter, the` ing the lever 16 from the position D to the position C and releasing the tension on the spring 72. As the'throwing arm 75 moves forward, the momentum of the parts is overcome by the tension spring as soon as the tension spring has taken up the lost motion of the chain 81. The tension spring forms a spring stop for the arm 75, as it allows the arm 75 to move forward sufficient to throw the ball, the buffer spring 80 pulling the arm 75 backward as soon as the buffer on the spring 72 is released. The tension on the spring 72 being released, the weight of the parts is such that the arm 75 falls back intofthe initial or set position, the hook 83 snapping under the roller 84 which is pushed over to engage it by the compression spring 88. The parts are now in position ready to throw an additional ball by repeating the operation. v

It will be seen that a ball can be pitched whenever the operator' desires by simply pulling an operating lever 16 from the position A to the position B, thus accomplishing the first and second objects. 'It will also be noted that the control of the pitcher is accomplished by a single rod 65,' and it will be evident that a cord or rope can be substituted for this rod if desired, thus accomplishing the third object.

The trough 34 is 4made of such a shape that the slots 44, from which balls are fed to the pitcher 35, are somewhat lower than the slots 43' from which balls are fed to the pitcher 36. The result is that as the balls 45 tend to fall to the lowest position of trough 34, the pitcher 35 can be operated as long as there is a single ball 4in the trough, this ball automatically rolling into position over the slots 44 so that it can be fed to the pitcher 35, the fourth object thus being accomplished.

The troughs 32, 33, and 34 are so placed that any balls rolling along the ioor 50, which slopes downwardly from the operating platform 13, as well as the balls which roll down the field 15, and the balls which are fed through the tube 30, are all returned thereto. It is thus immaterial where the ball goes in the apparatus it is bound to find its way back to the pitcher, so that the tifth object is accomplished.

The pin 105 is provided-so thatin case a ball sfed downwgpdly before the finger reaches the position shown in Fig. 6, the ball in this case rolling under the finger, the

ball is deflected by the pin 105 dro ping to and tensioning of said spring one side without danger of its fal ng into the mechanism and thereby causin it to foul, thus accomplishing the ninth o 'ect.

The platform 11 which is cove with the floor 50 slopes gradually downward from the operating platform 13 to the troughs 32 and 33, these troughs in turn sloping downward to the member 34 which forms a storage means in which the balls are stored until needed. Any balls falling on the door 50 therefore roll down that floor and fall into one of the troughs. In a similar manner balls that roll down the field 15 fall in the trough, all these balls being returned to the storage means. The balls batted into the trou h 21 are returned b the tube-30. Any bals, therefore, which all inside the batting inclosure are returned to the storage means so that the operator need give none of his time or attention to the resupply of balls to the pitcher, this being entire y automatic. i

I claim as my invention:

1. In a baseball apparatus, a pitcher, means for restraining said pitcher in the set position, spring means for exerting an actuating force. on said pitcher, and means whereby an operator can simultaneously place a tension on said s ring means and feed a baseball to said pitc er in such a manner as to release said restraining means.

2. In a baseball apparatus, a pitcher comprising a support, a pitching arm pivoted on said support, a spring secured toA Said pitching arm, meansb whichl an operator can put tension on sai spring for throwing said arm from the set position, restraining mechanism for securing said arm to said support, releasing mechanism whereby a ball passing to said pitching arm releases said restraining mechanism, and means whereby an operator can pass a ball to said itchin arm whenever he desires to do so, t e passing of said ball and tensioning of said spring being accomplished by a single motion the operator.

3. In a baseball apparatus, a pitcher comprising a support, a pitching arm pivoted on said support, a spring secured to said pitching arm, means by which an operator can put tension on said spring for throwing said arm from the set position, restraining mechanism for securing said arm to said support, releasing mechanism whereby a ball passing to said pitching arm releases said restraining mechanism,y storage meansfor holding a baseball, and means whereby an operator can pass a baseball from said storage means to said pitching arm whenever he desires to do so, the passi of said ball ing accomplished by a single motion of the operator.

4. In a baseball apparatus, a pitcher comprising a support, a pitching arm pivoted on said support, a throwing finger detachably secured to said pitching arm, a spring secured to said pitching arm, means by which an operator can .put tension on said springrfor throwing said armfrom the set osition, restraining mechanism for securing said arm to said support, releasin mechanism whereby a ball passingy to sai pitchvone at a time to the pitching means.

6.. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for mechanically pitching a ball including a lever arm, a trigger normally holding said arm in position or pitching a ball, and a spring attached to said arm and normally having low tension, means for accumulating batted balls in position to be fed to the pitching means, and means for simultaneously increasing the tension of said spring and mechanically feeding the accumulated balls one at a time to the pitching means, said trigger being arranged in the path of the ball, whereby the arm is automatically released from the trigger when the ball is delivered to said arm and the latter is operated under the influence of the spring to pitchv the ball.

' 7. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for mechanically pitching a ball including a spring normally havin low tension, means for aocumulatin bat balls below the pitching means, and means to be operated from near the batters position for simultaneously increasing the tension on said spring and mechanically raising and feeding the accumulated balls one at a time to the pitching means.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for mechanically pitching a ball, of means for accumulating batted balls below said pitching means, and means for mechanically raising the balls thus accumulating and feeding them 9. In a baseball pitcher, a apport, ay l pitching -arm pivoted to said support, a

latch for restraining said arm in the set position, an operating spring for throwing said arm from the set position, said spring 3 being normally at a low tension, means whereby a ball passing on said pitching arm will release said latch, storage means in which baseballs are accumulated, and means for simultaneously increasing the tension on 1) said operating spring and feeding one of said baseballs from said storage means on said pitching linger.

10. In a device'of the character described,

the combination with means for mechani- 15 cally pitching a ball including a spring normally at low tension, means for accumulating batted balls below the pitching means,

and means for simultaneously increasing the tension, on saidI spring and mechanically 20 raising and feeding the accumulated balls one at a time to a position for delivery to the pitching means.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination Awith means for mechanically pitching a ball including a spring 25 normally having low tension, means for accumulating batted balls below the pitching means, and means to be operated from near the batters position for simultaneously increasing the tension on said spring and 30 mechanically raising and feeding the accumulated balls one at a time to a position for delivery to the pitching means. In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand at St. Louis, Missouri, this 1st day 35 of February, 1915.

HARRY G. BOARDMAN.

JAMES T. CoAxLnEr, B. M. WATSON. 

